John 14:1–14 - 1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 “And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Jesus comforts His disciples. He tells them not to be anxious because He is going to get their permanent home in heaven ready and will come back to take them there (vv. 1-3). When Thomas expresses uncertainty about where Jesus is going, Jesus tells him that He Himself is the way to God and is the source of truth and life itself (vv. 4-7). Philip then asks Jesus to show them God the Father. Jesus explains that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father because He and the Father are one. He points to His miracles as proof. He promises that believers will do even greater things than He has. He also promises that prayers offered in His name will be answered to bring glory to the Father (vv. 8-14).
How can I apply John 14:1-14 to my life?
When life feels overwhelming, our hearts desperately long for stability and direction. As Jesus tells His disciples that one of them is going to betray Him and that the time has come for Him to leave, they fear the very worst. We encounter these same kinds of challenges and fears today we face our own storms of doubt and confusion. This passage shows us not only Jesus’ heart for His disciples but also His very relationship with God the Father. He goes beyond just trying to comfort His disciples; He teaches them fundamental truths about who He is and what He offers to those who believe in Him. Through these verses, Jesus shows us that He is not just a good teacher or a spiritual guide - He is the perfect revelation of the Father, God in human form. He is the only path to eternal life. This truth should transform how we view our own struggles, our eternal future, and our daily walk with God. When everything around us feels unstable, Jesus' words give us an unshakeable foundation for our faith. They point us toward our eternal home. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Rest in Jesus' Promise of a Prepared Heavenly Home (vv. 1-3): Jesus knew His disciples were worried. He had just told them that He was going away, the He would soon die, that one of them would betray Him, and that Peter would deny Him three times. Today, we face the same kinds of anxieties, uncertainties, and fears. Maybe it is a job loss, the unexpected end of a relationship, a medical problem, or even a funeral that brings us face to face with our own mortality. All of these can fill us with anxiety and fear of the unknown. But in these verses, Jesus speaks directly to our hearts. He tells us that He is preparing an eternal dwelling place for us. This is an amazing promise He gives us. The Creator of the universe, God Himself, is getting our eternal home ready. When it all gets to be too much, all we have to do is look heavenward. Our eternal home is not here in this world, it is in heaven with Jesus, our Savior. This should radically change how we look at everything. Our financial struggles> They will stay behind. Our medical issues? They are only temporary. Those broken relationships? Jesus has already promised us perfect fellowship in our eternal home. There are days where we find it hard to imagine how we will get through them but the promise of heaven gives us real hope and steadies us. We know we can face today's battles because we know what comes next. Jesus has gone before us to make everything ready. Nothing about our future is left to chance - He personally oversees every detail (Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
Food for Thought: What current situations in your life need the comfort of knowing Jesus is preparing an eternal home for you? How does having an eternal perspective change the way you view your present troubles?
2. Follow Jesus as the Only Way to the Father (vv. 4-7): Jesus made the clear statement that He is the only way to God the Father. He says that He is the source of all truth and the giver of life. There are many today who believe that there are many paths to God so we must take a bold stance on this truth that the only way to salvation is through Jesus and His finished work on the cross. This truth must become the foundation of how we talk to others about spiritual matters and about salvation. We cannot stay quiet when the enemy spreads his lies about how there are many ways to reach God – we need to speak up boldly but with gentleness and respect about Jesus being the only way and being the one source of truth. While the world likes to deny absolute truth claims, we cannot allow this essential message to be watered down. And when we live out this truth, we are showing others the way to Jesus when the world just wants to push them into trying harder to follow religious rules. When our families or our friends search for meaning and spiritual contentment in other religious traditions and philosophies, we have not just the obligation but the privilege to share about Jesus. This is why our own lives must demonstrate a total commitment to following Jesus every moment of every day rather than just when it is easy. We do this by making Him the center of our decisions, our relationships, and all of our daily choices. And the fact is that this truth can give us confidence – we don’t have to wonder if we are on the right path or have done enough to reach God – Jesus has already made the way for us through His death, burial, and resurrection. We can move forward with certainty, knowing we walk the right road when we follow Jesus. Our job is to stay on His path and help others find it too (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 10:7-9).
Food for Thought: How has believing Jesus is the only way to God affected your relationships with non-Christian friends and family? What keeps you from speaking more openly about Jesus being the only path to salvation?
3. See God's Glory Through Jesus' Works and Promises (vv. 8-14): Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father not realizing that Jesus Himself reveals God’s very nature. This is not just some theological concept – it is at the very heart of who God is and the Christian faith. It impacts how we live and how we respond to life’s challenges. We just need to look at Jesus’ life. His words, His actions, and His character – they show us how to live for Him. When we accept this, it changes how we think, make decisions, and even how we pray. Jesus says that those who believe in Him will do even greater works than He did. He is not talking about greater works in power but rather in scale and reach as the Gospel spreads out across the world. This amazing promise should give us boldness in our faith and compel us to step out in expectation completely trusting that God will work through us. When we pray in Jesus’ name, it is not just about tacking a few words on the end of our prayer; it is because of Him and through His finished work on the cross that we can approach the Father in prayer with confidence. This changes our prayers from being our own personal wish list into a partnership through Christ dedicated to God’s purposes. Our prayers, in Jesus’ name, taken on Holy Spirit power as we start to prioritize His kingdom rather than just our own wants, desires, and comfort. When we understand that Jesus is the full revelation of the Father, we realize that we don’t have to guess about His nature or His will because Jesus has made it plain. This frees us to serve with greater confidence and assurance knowing that we are walking in step with who God really is. And as we live in that confidence, our lives naturally become a reflection of His glory to those around us (John 1:14-18; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3).
Food for Thought: In what specific ways can your life better display God's glory to others who do not know Him? How does knowing Jesus perfectly reveals the Father change the way you pray?
The promises Jesus gives in this passage should bring us a great deal of comfort. His words about preparing our eternal home free us from worrying about the temporary troubles of this life. They look different somehow when we realize that they can’t follow us into heaven. His declaration that He is the only way to the Father in heaven give us clarity about where to point those who don’t know God or are searching for Him. It eliminates all doubt or confusion that the enemy has deceived so many with. Through His life and works, Jesus has shown us exactly how God wants us to live and, in many ways, has taken away the mystery about who He is. Each of the amazing truths that Jesus gives in this passage work together in real, practical ways. When anxiety comes out way, we can look to our future in heaven. When others ask us spiritual questions, we can just point to Jesus’ as the only true answer. When we need direction ourselves, we just have to look at Jesus, God’s own heart made real before us. Following Jesus is how we can have absolute certainty about where we are going, how to get there, and Who is leading us.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would help me focus on the eternal home Jesus is preparing for me when life's problems feel too heavy to carry. When medical issues, financial struggles, or broken relationships threaten to overwhelm me, I pray that You would turn my eyes toward my future with You. Thank You for sending Jesus to make the only way to You clear and certain. I pray that You would give me boldness to share this truth with others who are searching for meaning in false religions and philosophies. Help me to speak Your truth with both courage and love.
I pray that You would show me how to live in ways that display Jesus' character to those around me. Thank You that I don't have to guess about Your nature because Jesus has shown me exactly who You are. I pray that You would teach me to pray with greater faith, knowing that Jesus promises to work through those who believe in Him. Give me wisdom to align my prayers with Your purposes rather than just my own desires. Thank You that Jesus has given me absolute certainty about my eternal destiny through His death and resurrection.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
Comments